Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

camie — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:18:15 GMT

i don't think anyone should be taking advice from Mark penn he completely ruined hillarys campaign with his advice

New Ohio GOP Ad uses Hillary against Obama
http://sensico.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/new-ohio-gop-ad-uses-hillary-against-obama/
or
http://sensico2.blogspot.com/2008/07/my-blogs.html

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Clara Kansas City, MO — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:21:25 GMT

Is he planning to now bill the Obama campaign a couple of million for his unsolicited 'sage' advice? he's a night crawler that should stay under the rock.

Funny from John Kerry. See Dems do have a sense of humor.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:23:52 GMT

"So here is a radical suggestion: Rather than sparring on the Republican playing field to determine the rougher and tougher leader, Democrats should introduce more clearly substantive differences."

Well, Penn is just being snarky now. Obama has introduced substantive differences.

But here's the problem. On the one hand you have Obama delivering substance. On the other hand you have McCain delivering Paris Hilton and tire gauges. Which gets the media coverage?

And Penn knows this.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

the Pajama Pundit — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:24:44 GMT

The New York Daily News: "Bill Clinton refuses to say Barack Obama is 'ready' for White House."
******************************************************

Blech. Soooo not a news story.

http://thepajamapundit.com/

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

A Charles, LA, CA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:26:23 GMT

All this is great, but the American public loves a winner. He's the nominee not because of policies but because of planning & Hilary's lack there of. That string of victories he had made him look invincible.

I know the convention will be like his trip, but look how quickly that trip has faded.

My point is that Obama needs a searing ad, that while still on topic, puts McCain in his place. He needs fresh blood in his ad campaign. He's spent so much money on boring ads. His ads sound like he wrote them. He needs to cherry pick a republican ad man and bash McCain just before the Republican convention so it eats up the headlines the entire time.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Pete - Albany, NY — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:27:31 GMT

The New York Daily News: "Bill Clinton refuses to say Barack Obama is 'ready' for White House."

-------------------------------------------

That's Rupert Murdoch's Daily News...sometimes printed in English!!!

Get it right...He did not "refuse to say" he was ready!

"You can argue that nobody is ready to be president."

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

BJ, CA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:33:51 GMT

Bill Clinton the application of finding blessings only where he wants to...It's easy to see good works are gracefully not in him, maybe that's why he says he's not a liar...
Romans 5:1-6..

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

MI Chick — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:37:10 GMT

Bill Clinton does nothing for his legacy by pouting to ABC News.

No matter what his personal feelings are, no one likes to see a sore loser.

To those of you who still would like to see Hillary as VP - do you STILL think Bill would not be an issue?

As Barnicle said this morning - he's going to need 50 bellhops to carry all the baggage he has.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Lee, Highland, IL — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:37:14 GMT

I hate to admit it, but Penn's advice is perfect. Obama needs to reshift focus to the issues, and to do so with creativity and courage. Once the contrast is drawn between the two candidates, Obama will pull even farther ahead.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Michael Huppman (Folsom, PA) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:39:43 GMT

Can anyone confirm that we've seen the entire interview? Is it possible there was a straight "yes" in his response? Have have been unimpressed (to say the least) with the political snippet method of getting the word out. Can someone direct me to the "full" unadulterated interview, please?

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Ann Taylor, Big Rapids MI — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:41:26 GMT

Penn: How about this for a message — ending the war in Iraq now, making an Apollo-like investment in alternative energy and starting a revolution in health care to cover every American.
=====================

The Democrats could call it the "Surrender and Socialism" platform.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Todd, Lancaster PA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:45:33 GMT

BJ, CA.. RIGHT ON!! B. Clinton will find only what gives him comfort as fact.. His history proves.. I seriously think he "Believes" his own lies. As far as Penn... Who Cares, they lost, and he is the main reason why!!!

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

John Alexander,PA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:47:16 GMT

Oh boy another non-news story, thank goodness, I thought we were looking at too many issues this week, I want to go back to name calling and childish innuendo, just what the media says we want.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Lou R — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:51:18 GMT

Sound like a "reformed" Mark Penn, rational rather than disruptive. McCain showed his true colors last week; he needed to spend campaign money before the Olympics and the RNC convention. Following the convention he is limited to $85M plus whatever the RNC will spend on his behalf.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Amy B Portland, ME — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:52:12 GMT

Normally, I loathe David Brooks, but I think he made some good points in this column regarding how the public perceives Obama. Barack "isn't from around here," as we say in Maine. But, of course, Bush claims he "isn't from around here" either, even though he will inherit his mother's compound in Maine on Walker's Point. Politicians seem very adept at creating the biography they hope will help them win. It suited Bush to style himself a Texan and a fighter pilot, although neither identity was very deep. I think it suits Obama to travel light. He's a consumate politician, but more to the point, he is highly intellectual and more loyal to the thinking process itself than to anthing as physical as a fake ranch in the desert.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Lone McCain Blogger — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:53:34 GMT

Isn't Obama already saying that? Maybe next Pig Penn will say Obama should start saying "we should be as careful getting out as we were getting in", go back to your pork stupor

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Be Real, NY, NY — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:55:23 GMT

That depends what your definition of "is" is. lol

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Andrea, New York City — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:13:52 GMT

Barack is part of many worlds—white, black and asian. His main connection is to his wife and family. They ground him and give a consistent base. She is part of a black family from the south-side of Chicago. You can't get any more basic than that.

So that his strong and loving connection. Perhaps folks will acknowledge and see that!!

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Mike Gillis - Port Orchard, Wa — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:15:07 GMT

Somehow I feel Obama is doing just as he must. McCain wants this campaign in the mud. This is Rove style and it has some credits to it. McCain's fumbles on issues and comes across as weak. Obama can't attack McCain hard as it plays into the race issue. A sympathetic dismissal of McCain is best. "More of the same - vote for McCain"

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Timmy Coffee Memphis Tennessee — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:17:07 GMT

The American media has long hidden from the public the astonishing fact that as a long term US Senator, John McCain has only a rudimentary understanding of both domestic and national security issues. His petulant, spoiled child disposition makes him un- presidential. He is a reckless individual. A vote for him is a reckless, irresponsible vote. This concerted racist campaign he has now decided to run demonstrates he has no decency. In the last week, he has made it perfectly clear that his campaign is based on the rebirth of Jim Crow era politics. The incessant comments that Senator Obama is presumptuous, arrogant and/or cocky are all code words for he is an uppity Negro who can’t be trusted to know his place. Along with the constant red security alerts, which the Bush administration will start up within the next month, it wouldn’t be surprising for McCain-Bush to propose a national poll tax before the November election. America is struggling after 16 years of Clinton and Bush. McCain would be the final nail in America’s coffin.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Jennifer — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:19:42 GMT

Priceless, John Kerry. After all, Obama hasn't shifted positions at all (not without checking the latest polls first, anyway). He merely 'refines' his positions, as if we're too dumb to discern the difference.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

Susan Erickson, North Branch, MN — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:41:43 GMT

So Obama isn't pullling ahead dramatically in the polls because he doesn't join cliques and doesn't reduce humanity to the short hand op-ed pundits like David Brooks can use to superficially categorize and dismiss individuals. He also introduces in this column a new way to diminish people who are actually living the American Dream by dedication, inspiration and hard work by calling them "meritrocrats" of the new upcoming generation. I guess that is supposed to be somehow inferior to the aristocratic assumed superiority of those that have inherited their position and authority in life like the McCains and Bushes that never had to develop their brains. There they go again, making a virtue of ignorance and stupidity because that is what they think us American Voters will identify with. How depressing.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

eric — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:27:07 GMT

don't like the guy either, but I agree with what he says...particularly energy....I spoke with the campaign months ago and strongly urged them to advance a JFK like challenge to America on energy..Obama has been behind the curve and needs to take dramatic steps on this....

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

SAM, USA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:36:23 GMT

Here's what the DNC needs to do: Get news clips of McCain in 2000 and get news clips of McCain 2008 all on issues. You will see a complete flip flop on 90% of his issues in 2000. That should just rest the case.

OK who is this man and what have you done to the real John McCain. Alien.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

TJ, Small Town in Pennsylvania, USA — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:41:04 GMT

I think Mark Penn is trying to raise his "approval ratings" so people will donate to Hillary's campaign and he can get his money.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

John Kerry, as John McCain's personal friend, can unleash the best and most credible assault against him. And he should do it as a plea from one friend to another. It could start like this: "McCain, remember when...? What happened? Why did you change?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's unfortunate that many in the United States still harbor hatred, superiority complexes, inferiority complexes, and tremendous fear towards others whose skin color differs from their own.

It's unfortunate that Obama has to carefully select each word he uses because of his age and color. He has to temper his tone, every inflection, and his intellect. He can't forcefully state what is needed because he will be deemed "uppity." It's a damned shame for the United States of America when the people do not want an "intelligent" person to run the country.

The majority called Al Gore boring. And John Kerry was less fun and less physically attractive than George W.B. Then Hillary Clinton "dumbed down" after she started losing in the primaries. The pity is after she dumbed down, her number of votes increased.

Have Americans become so lazy they need idiots for President? Do they need "the bar" so low to feel they can achieve positions of authority and power without working for it, without effort?

John McCain's intellect is low. He wasn't a good student -- the bottom of his class. His interviews, speeches, campaign ads he's so proud of, and "solutions" are evidence. He didn't have to work for anything; his family provided it for him. Same for George W. B.

I don't want anyone whose IQ is lower than mine to lead our nation anymore. I don't want anyone who's motivated by greed to lead our nation anymore. We're not in high school anymore. This is not a movie. This is life. No more pretty partying frat boy cheerleader socialite gunslingers for President. This country needs intellectual, analytical, managerial, diplomatic leadership.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

grandpaw, Denver, Colorado — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:53:57 GMT

There are some journalists who think they have a cute phrase, such as "he is in, but not of". They decide to build a column around that phrase, but find that they need to distort the facts in order to make them seem relevant to the phrase.

That is what David Brooks has done. The idea the Obama was in, but not of, the law school at which he taught because he did not spend much time have coffee with other professors is ridiculous. During the time that Obama was a part time lecturer at the University of Chicago, he was also working for the Barnhill and Galland law firm doing civil rights work. Which was the more important, having coffee with the professors or doing civil rights work? To use Brooks' false dichotomy, Obama was not only in civil rights work, he was of civil rights work.

Equally asinine is Brooks' assertion that Obama could not have been truly effective in his three years as a community organizer. (Take a look at any three years of Bush's administration to see how much a person can get done or undone).

But at least David was able to meet the deadline for his column. And sometimes that is what matters the most to some columnists.

Obama: Penn offers his two cents...

nuanced — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 16:07:30 GMT

Can someone direct me to the "full" unadulterated interview, please?
--Michael Huppman

just click on the hot link in the article or else here it is

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/08/04/2008-08-04_bill_clinton_refuses_to_say_barack_obama.html

If you read it you will find that he is saying that nobody can ever be ready to be president. Bill also says that 8 years as vice president doesn't make you ready to be president which could be taken as a possible swipe at Al Gore; on the other hand maybe not. As the article says, a simple yes would have been the better answer.